(209) Extension of the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program
between the USPTO and the CIPO
On January 28, 2008, the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) commenced a Patent Prosecution Highway pilot program (PPH) which
enabled an applicant whose claims have been determined allowable/patentable
in an application filed in the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)
to have the corresponding application filed in the USPTO be advanced out of
turn for examination. See notice entitled "Patent Prosecution Highway
Pilot Program between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the
Canadian Intellectual Property Office," 1327 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 45
(February 5, 2008). The USPTO indicated that the pilot program would last
for a period of one year ending on January 28, 2009, but may be extended
for an additional time period thereafter.
In order to adequately assess the feasibility of the PPH pilot program,
the USPTO and the CIPO have decided to extend the trial program for an
additional 2 years to January 28, 2011. The USPTO and CIPO will evaluate
the results of the pilot program at the end of this 2 year period to
determine whether and how the program should be fully implemented.
Please continue to direct inquiries on the PPH pilot program to Magdalen
Greenlief at 571-272-8800 or via e-mail addressed to
Magdalen.greenlief@uspto.gov.
December 22, 2008 JOHN LOVE
Deputy Ciommissioner
for Patent Examination
[1338 OG 99]